


Mirror

by Angeliclizard



Category: One Piece
Genre: Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Friendship, Friendship/Love, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-04
Updated: 2019-08-19
Packaged: 2019-11-09 02:32:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,671
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17993186
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Angeliclizard/pseuds/Angeliclizard
Summary: Sabo longs to escape his parents and the dull life of a noble. Taking refuge in his dusty attic he find a boy named Ace trapped through a mirror. More determined then he has ever been in his life, Sabo knows he has to find a way to rescue Ace before he turns eighteen, otherwise he may loose that chance forever.





	1. The Boy in the Mirror

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Yui](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yui/gifts).



> I wrote this story my beloved Yui based on an RP we had they she really loved. I do not own One Piece, Ace, Sabo, and the concept of devil fruits are all copyright to Oda Eichiro and One Piece. I do not claim any ownership to them. 
> 
> This is an AU story. The concept of the mirror, Felicity and the Braybrooke family are all my own creation as is the text of this story. 
> 
> Please do not distribute this story without my permission and without crediting me and linking back to me. I hope you enjoy it.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sabo longs to escape his parents and the dull life of a noble. Taking refuge in his dusty attic he find a boy named Ace trapped through a mirror. More determined then he has ever been in his life, Sabo knows he has to find a way to rescue Ace before he turns eighteen, otherwise he may loose that chance forever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For Yui.  
> I wrote this story my beloved Yui based on an RP we had they she really loved. I do not own One Piece, Ace, Sabo, and the concept of devil fruits are all copyright to Oda Eichiro and One Piece. I do not claim any ownership to them.  
> This is an AU story. The concept of the mirror, Felicity and the Braybrooke family are all my own creation as is the text of this story.  
> Please do not distribute this story without my permission and without crediting me and linking back to me. I hope you enjoy it.

Sabo paced the halls of his home wearily. His father was bored and had forbidden him to go out. He did that sometimes when he thought Sabo might do something to embarrass their family. The house was large so it was usually easy to avoid his father. Somehow, he still had lots of bruises hidden by his clothes.

  
Unfortunately, the servants were less easy to avoid and today he didn't feel like talking to anyone. He saw the rarely used staircase leading to the attic and darted up them. The air was heavy with dust that floated around though the air. It was early summer and starting to get uncomfortable in the long clothes Sabo wore. He would bare the dusty heat if it meant some peace and quiet. Sabo looked around slowly and saw chests, boxes, and old furniture covered in cloths. All expensive items that his parents deemed unworthy for their house but hadn’t bothered to get rid of. 

  
It seemed so quiet and peaceful except for the slight creek of the floor board under Sabo’s feet. Sabo moved a sheet off a chaise and sat down. It was soft and comfortable, and he thought it was very beautiful with rich blue fabric and an ornate carved frame. But it was exactly the kind of thing his mother would hate. He reclined on it, closing his eyes and enjoyed the peace.

  
Sometime later, Sabo was awoken with a start when he heard a shuffling and what sounded like metal scraping. Sabo sat up slowly listening for the sound again and walked towards it cautiously.  There was an object a little taller than Sabo covered in cloth. Sabo crept slowly, trying to be as quiet as possible 

  
He grabbed the cloth and yanked it back revealing a mirror. Something in the mirror jumped and Sabo spun around but didn't see anything behind him but old furniture. He turned back towards the mirror slowly and instead of his own reflection there was another boy sitting there. He had black messy hair falling across his freckle covered face and a bewildered expression. 

  
Sabo was speechless, moving his hand back and forth as the dark-haired boys' eyes followed. Sabo slowly walked around the mirror slowly, running his hands along it. The mirror was flat and behind it was more boxes and furniture. Sabo couldn’t find anywhere a boy his age might be hiding. He made his way around to the front again and stared down the boy. The more he looked the more concerned Sabo was. Underneath the dark messy hair was sad dark eyes and a slightly hallowed face covered in freckles. He looked thin and underfed. His clothes were baggy and dirty and Sabo thought he may even be tanned under the film of dust covering his skin . The boy was rubbing his wrist and Sabo noticed there was a cuff on it with a chain attached. Underneath the cuff was red and sore. Sabo’s eyes followed the chain to a large ring on the wall underneath a window. He turned around and looked there was no chain but the large ring was there.

“Ummm Hello?” asked Sabo turning back around

“Hello” said the other boy looking up at him. He was sitting cross-legged in front of the mirror. Sabo sat down, mimicking the way he sat touching the mirror. The glass was cool and nothing about it felt unusual.  
“My name is Sabo, what is yours?” he asked

  
“Ace” said the other boy, his eyes moving from Sabo’s face to his hand.

  
“Ace huh... so.... why are you chained in my attic?” asked Sabo moving his hand away from the mirror to watch Ace.

  
“Your house?” he asked “This is a home for ‘cursed’ kids and they said I was too dangerous to be with the others.

  
“Cursed...?” said Sabo slowly “Cursed how...” Sabo looked him up and down

  
“Kids with...powers. They are dangerous and taken away from their family to be rehabilitated.

  
“What why?!” said Sabo. Devil fruits and weird abilities were not uncommon and not something to punish kids for.

  
“B... because we are dangerous” Ace said softly with a shrug, looking down and away from Sabo.

  
“That is bullshit” said Sabo leaning back thoughtfully. Ace looked surprised to see him speak so frankly.

  
“Do you really think that?” asked Ace after a long pause. Sabo nodded and gave Ace a reassuring smile. He HAD to find a way to help the boy in the mirror. He couldn’t just leave him locked in a dusty basement.  
Sabo touched the mirror again. Everything about it looked normal. There were no strange inscriptions, no trap door, nothing out of the ordinary, except there was no reflection of people. Sabo moved the mirror slightly and then looked back at Ace. The view was the same even though it should have shifted. The mirror seemed to work more like a screen then a mirror.

  
“What are you doing?” asked Ace who had been watching Sabo with fascination.

  
“There has to be a trick to it. There has to be something to this mirror. A way to get you out.” said Sabo. He sighed and touched the glass again. He picked up a book from a box and poked the mirror, once again with no result.

  
“What book is that?” asked Ace his eyes brightening when he saw it.

  
“Ummm this is Moby Dick.” said Sabo

  
“Do you think you could read a little to me?” asked Ace rubbing his hands together.

  
“Sure. Can... you read?” asked Sabo sitting back down.

  
“Yea but... The box of books is too far away...” Sabo nodded, it would be just out of reach for Ace based on that chain. Sabo sat with his back to the mirror so Ace could see the book, occasionally glancing over his shoulder to see how Ace was doing. Ace was enthralled with Sabo’s reading, his dark sad eyes lit up. Ace leaned forward, scooting closer until he was almost ready to push into the mirror.  
Sabo read for hours, only stopping to talk to Ace. He was hungry and thirsty but didn’t see any food or water nearby for Ace so he stayed, afraid to ask how often he was fed.  
Pausing to enjoy the breeze he heard a servant calling his name in the distance. Sabo glanced out a window and stood up.

  
“I have to go I’m sorry” said Sabo. “I will come back as soon as I can” he said sitting the book down on the floor. Ace looked sad but nodded understanding.

  
“I... I'll be waiting” he said watching as Sabo quickly left the attic.

  
Sabo calmly made his way back to the upper level, a very flustered young servant looked relieved to find him.

  
“Young master Outlook. Your father and mother want to make sure you are getting ready for this evening. Your covered in dust, let's get you in a bath and I will tell them you are getting ready. You must hurry” she said.  
Sabo nodded, taking a deep breath. He didn’t want to be late; his father would be furious. He was glad a servant found him first. He checked the clock; he had an hour and half before he had to leave and Sabo knew his father would be agitated if Sabo was not ready at least a half an hour early.The servant rushed ahead of Sabo quickly drawing him a bath

“Thank you” Said Sabo  
“You're welcome young master. I will tell your father you are preparing. I will be back in a moment with fresh towels and to lay out new clothing. “she said with a bow, darting off before Sabo could respond.  
Sabo shut the bathroom door and began to strip, tossing his dusty clothes into a laundry bin. Sabo was a fairly fit young man but what stood out the most, especially to Sabo was the scar that ran down the whole left side of his body from his face to just above his knee. Sabo hid as much as he could with clothing, he was ashamed of his scar. Sabo tested the water with his hand, it was a little too warm for him. Things that were too hot just reminded him of the day he got that scar. He added some cold water before climbing in.

  
Sabo sat in the tub, his mind wandering to the boy in the mirror. He tried to watch the clock but this seemed so unimportant compared to helping Ace. But still, Sabo feared his father’s wrath enough that an hour later he had bathed, dressed, and fixed his hair. Knowing his father would find something to nitpick he left on button slightly misaligned, that way he could find something simply to criticize and hopefully would leave him alone.  
Sabo headed to the other side of the large mansion and down the large curved staircase heading for the parlor. His father was already waiting and Sabo noticed his mother had not yet arrived.

  
“It is about time.” snapped his father. “Come here so I can make sure you do not look like an embarrassment.” Sabo walked over and stood in front of his father. Those angry judgmental eyes scanned over Sabo quickly. “Fix that button. “he said taking a deep breath.

  
Sabo quickly fixed the button and watched his father nod in approval and start pacing across the room, back and forth.

  
“Where the hell is your mother?” asked he snapped Sabo shrugged a little and looked out a window.

  
“I am right here” came a flat feminine voice. Sabo turned and saw his mother entering the room.

  
“We are going to be late” said his father in an agitated voice

  
“Only fashionably so. If we arrive right on time, we will look eager.” Sabo’s father took a deep breath and walked out. Sabo’s mother followed without another word or even glancing in Sabo’s direction. Sabo shrugged and followed. The last thing he wanted to do was to go to some absurdly boring Gala but he feared what would happen if he protested.

  
He didn’t even remember what the Gala was for but it was a night of pretending he cared about the people he was talking to, avoiding awkward conversation, and thinking about the boy in the mirror. Over and over again he thought about what he saw. Was he so lonely he had imagined a boy trapped that needed his help? Or was there magic about? Perhaps a devil fruit had trapped him there. Sabo would have to do research and see if he could find any information.  
It was early in the morning by the time Sabo got home, he was exhausted and crept upstairs and went to his room. He knew the house was too quiet this time of day for him to creep upstairs, someone would surely notice. During the day the house was bustling with servants and his steps would go unnoticed. Reluctantly Sabo went to his room, falling fast asleep. His dreams filled those sad dark eyes and the sound of the chain scraping against wood as Ace moved and watched Sabo.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for coming to check out my story! I have not written fan-fiction in a VERY long time. I am finding it easier to get things made in a short story format. Normally my original stories are very lengthy so this is a fun change.
> 
> I do edit my own stories and with ADHD sometimes I miss a few things so if you notice a mistake don't feel bad politely pointing it out. 
> 
> 08/23/19 Text updated slightly and a few grammatical errors corrected.


	2. Reflection

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sabo returns to the mysterious mirror and gets to know Ace a little better.

“Young Master Outlook”  came a  servant's voice in late morning

“ Hmmmm ” said Sabo his eyes fluttering opening. His vision was blurred in the bright light that sounded him

“Young Master Outlook, it is past time to wake up” repeated the servants voice. Sabo rubbed his eyes and looked at the clock, it was 10:10, far later  than he ever normally slept. 

“Shit” he said throwing back the covers. 

“ Your parents are both gone, I just thought you might want to know” she said with a bow before leaving. Sabo sighed with his relief. He had meant to get up earlier to eat breakfast and go see Ace. He saw the servant had left him breakfast. Sometimes they looked after him. He ate while getting dressed, happy to know his parents were gone for at least a little while. 

As soon as he was done eating , he darted out of his room and headed straight for the dusty attic. He walked towards the mirror as he slowe d down, heart racing as part of his thought he imagined it but he saw Ace leaning against the mirror with a book in his arms. 

“Ace” said Sabo as a smile came across his face. Ace spun around his dark eyes lighting up.

“Sabo” he said with a big smile “Look. Someone came to get something and knocked this book out of the box, I have been reading it but only the part you read with me. 

“That is good. You could have read more if you wanted” said Sabo as he sat down on the floor thoughtfully. He had left the book sitting in front of the mirror and thought it was funny Ace had a copy now too. 

“I... had wanted to but I like listening to you read better.” said Ace and Sabo smiled wide at Ace

“I would love to read with you” said Sabo picking up the book. He could hear the rain outside hitting the side of the house as he found his place and began to read. Sabo read Moby Dick to Ace, loosing track of time  until his throat was dry and his eyes burned with dusty. It was stuffy in the  attic and filled with the dust of forgotten boxes and furniture. He paused to check the time, realizing it had been hours and was almost time for dinner. His parents would surely be home and would expect Sabo to join them. 

“Ace... do they feed you?” asked Sabo finally asking one of the questions he had been holding inside.

“Yeah... usually someone brings me something in the morning or in the evening sometimes both. Sabo nodded slowly, that made his chest hurt. No wonder Ace looked so thin and almost sickly. He wished he could at least get Ace food or  ointment for his wrists while he worked on figuring out how to free him.

“I. ..I have to get ready for dinner “ said Sabo softly looking down “My parents will expect me to be there...I’m sorry I don’t want to go”

“No, it’s okay” said Ace quickly “I don’t want to keep you from your family. I’m not going anywhere” said Ace with a small laugh. Sabo gave Ace a week smile . How could someone  locked up like a criminal still find means to smile. 

“I’d rather be here. My parents don’t really care for me. I am just a means to a better life for my father and half the time it’s like I don’t exist to my mother” said Sabo 

“I. ..I’m so sorry” said Ace “If it means anything, I like you” said Ace and Sabo’s eyes softened. It meant more to him then he could properly put into words. Sabo did not have many friends. 

“It means everything” he said standing up slowly. He was a little stiff from sitting folded up on the floor for hours, one of his legs was a little numb. He couldn’t imagine how Ace felt. 

“See you soon?” said Ace looking up at Sabo hopefully . 

“Soon. I’ll try to come back tonight. If not  tomorrow morning, I promise.” 

Before heading downstairs Sabo opened a window behind him to let some of the warm air move around in the attic. Glancing at the mirror one more time Ace smiled and waved . Sabo waved back as he headed down the stairs and to his room. 

He shut and locked the door so he could clean himself up for dinner. His parents would not  appreciate him showing up to dinner with dust bunnies all over him. Sabo looked in the mirror one more time, waiting  until the last minute to go down to the smaller  dining room they used for when it was just them or they had very small gatherings. 

The three of them sat as far apart as they could. Sabo was not even sure why they bothered dinning together. They barely talked. Sabo figured it was so they could pretend they were a fully functioning family. 

Sabo ate his dinner, wondering what Ace would think of each course.

“What did you do today after you finally got out of bed?” snapped his father, his voice cutting through the awkward silence as Sabo was eating his summer soup. Snapping back to reality Sabo looked towards his father , his whole body was now tense and the hairs on his body stood up . He noticed his mother had not even looked up from her soup.

“I studied classic literature” said Sabo . His  father's sharp reflexes had  tought him to lie on cue although this technically wasn’t a lie. 

“Good. I expect good results on your studies. You have been slacking lately and if that keeps up you can stay in your room  until your marks improve.

“Of course, father, my marks will not be disappointing this time” said Sabo as he tried to suppress a sigh. He was seventeen and had been home schooled his whole life, by tutors not by his parents of course. At this point Sabo was mostly self-taught but even he could admit he had gotten a little lazy with his work. Sabo was extremely smart and quick witted and found the work that was expected of him monotonous and boring. His parents had even discussed him possibly going to a university, something Sabo figured would be equally boring but would get him out of the house he hated so much. However, leaving home did not seem so important now. 

“They better not be. Next year you will be 18. You will be an adult, preparing to marry and start your own family. You’ll need to work to make sure to secure  a g ood position in this world and better your family. If you slack it will make me look bad.”

“ Of course, father that is the last thing I want to do” Said Sabo

“Is that sarcasm?” he asked, his fingers gripping his fork so tightly that his knuckles grew white. Even across the table Sabo could see his father's body tense like a coiled spring ready to burst . 

“No of course not” said Sabo quickly. He didn’t know what was worse conversation, or the silence.  Sabo’s father nodded slowly and went back to eating. Sabo’s stomach felt like it was in knots as he ate slowly, knowing if he rushed he would be in trouble and was not allowed to leave the table  until his father told him he could. 

The rest of the dinner was painfully quiet. The only voices were the servants asking if they wanted refills. Sabo’s father eventually stood and left the table without a word. As soon as he was out of ear shot Sabo sighed with relief. He looked over to his mother who was sipping her wine glass that never emptied , her eyes staring off at seemingly nothing. 

“May I be excused mother?” asked Sabo.  She didn’t respond, only waved her hand dismissing him. Sabo stood up and left quickly. He didn’t remember the last time the  two of them  had actually had a conversation. 

Sabo headed upstairs and quickly went up to the attic, it was still early enough that no one would notice him going up. He sprang up the stairs, taking them two at a time. Summer days were long and the sun was just barely beginning to set. Sabo darted over to the mirror and saw Ace holding a bowl tightly to his chest. He looked up and smiled at  Sabo.

“They brought me dinner” he said holding up some soup and buttered bread. “They opened the window too now we both get a breeze” said Ace his eyes lighting up. Sabo say down, smiling back. That was probably the only thing Ace had today. It wasn’t right and Sabo clenched his fists to hide the anger he felt.

Ace shrank back at the sight of Sabo’s anger. It did not matter that it was not directed towards him, the reaction was involuntary. Sabo felt a pang of guilt, he knew that tense reaction and he never wanted to be the reason Ace ever felt scared.  Sabo forced his fists to unclench and put a smile on his face, sitting down on the floor. 

“It’s kind of funny they opened the window when I opened the window” said Sabo as Ac e was sitting back on the hard floor. Sabo nodded as he watched Ace eat. His movements seemed strained and purposeful as he seemed to savor every bite.

“I am almost done Moby Dick, we’ll have to pick out a new book soon. “Said Sabo glancing at the large box. He slid over and pulled it closer so he could go through them with Ace. Sabo leaned against the box and began to read the end of Moby Dick. Ace listened, once again leaning into the mirror. His dusty hands clutched the bowl even after it was empty. Finally, Sabo closed the cover and Ace sat back on his legs, a big smile gracing his freckled face. 

“That was great!” said Ace putting his bowl down.

“You want to pick out another book?” asked Sabo sitting up and stretching. His legs were stiff but he tried not to let it show. Ace must be far more uncomfortable. 

“Sure, said Ace sitting up , his eyes bright with excitement.  Sabo was sure he would spring through the mirror if he could. Ace was so excited for entertainment that many took for granted. Sabo took books out of the box, reading titles and stacking them in front of him

“That one!” said Ace suddenly and Sabo looking up to see his eyes wide. He glanced back down to see i n his hands was a book called Treasure Island.

“Treasure Island huh?” said Sabo as he put the other books back  into the box  “Two books about the ocean in a row”

“I used to live by the ocean. My dad worked on a boat. He would take us out when the weather was nice” said Ace his eyes looking out into the distance. Sabo could feel the sadness emanating through the mirror. He was stuck here with cruel parents and Ace was stolen from good ones. He forced his anger down, not wanting to upset Ace twice in a row .

“Can you tell me about them?” asked Sabo as he leaned back on the book box, Treasure Island sitting loosely in his lap. 

“My dad is a big strong man. He’s got dark messy hair like me and a huge mustache. My mom has dark hair too, but long and straight. She has the kindest hands and makes the best food.” Ace spoke fondly, his lips curling into a s oft smile as he relived these memories. “And my little brother Luffy is so annoying. He always wanted to hang off of me. I never thought I would miss that but I would give anything for his stringy arms hanging off of me.” Ace said with a  small  laugh.

“That sounds really great!” said Sabo who had wondered what it was like to have loving parents. A tightness formed in his chest. Ace would probably want to go back home. That would mean Sabo would never see him again. Sabo wanted Ace free and happy even at the cost of his own happiness. But Ace was his only friend, and the thought of losing him brought tears to his eyes. 

“Sabo...” Ace’s soft voice was enough to break Sabo’s deep thoughts. “Are you okay...?” Sabo felt the wetness on his face and quickly wiped it away.

“Yeah sorry. I must have got  dust in my eyes. So, how about Treasure Island?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey I hope you enjoyed this chapter. We get to know Ace a little better and get more of a glimpse into Sabo's every day life. His parents do not get much in the show but they seem like terrible people so I went from there. 
> 
> I know that Luffy is not biologically Ace's brother in the show but I cannot imagine them not being brothers. Do you think they are biological brothers in this story or that Luffy is adopted? 
> 
> 08/23/19 Grammatical corrections and slight adjustments to the text.


	3. Arranged Marriage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sabo meets the woman his parents are hoping to marry him to and she is not exactly what he expected.

Sabo fixed his clothes cursing under his breath. He had completely forgotten the  Braybrooke’s were coming today. His father was hoping to marry him off to one of them. The  Braybrooke’s children. They had nine and  right now  Sabo couldn’t even remember any of their names. He was fixing the collar on his shirt, his hands fumbling as he racked his brain to no avail. All he could remember was the parents and the three or five of the children he remembered here all painfully snobby and uptight and extremely judgmental. He remembered the mother making a rude comment about his scar under the guise of concern. 

Sabo sighed checking his hair in the mirror. He was sure his father would brief him and hopefully remind him of who the hell he would be talking to. After waiting as long as possible, Sabo headed down the stairs only moments before his father was ready to bellow his name.

“Finally,” he father said with a sight. His hands fidgeted as he looked over Sabo over and over again. Nothing in his body seemed to hold still and Sabo wondered if he might jump out of his skin. 

“The  Braybrooke’s will be here soon”

“Yes father.” Said Sabo his hands resting behind his back, that way his father could not see him wring his hands in nervousness. Sabo wondered when his mother would make an appearance.

“They are bringing their youngest daughter which is not ideal but their family is extremely wealthy and influential. Marrying her would make me and your mother proud.”

“Of course, father” Sabo said. He had no interest in marrying some random noble, especially not a noble daughter. Sabo had said that once and only once to his father and he could barely get out of bed for a week after that.  Sabo’s father nodded, seeming satisfied as he had other things to worry about.

“Where the hell is your mother?” he mumbled under his breath. Sabo knew his parents were in a loveless marriage, arranged for the benefit of their families. They were both miserable, why did they want to set their only child up for the same kind of misery? Sabo did not understand it. 

“Stop pacing” said a softer voice. Sabo looked up and saw his mother enter the parlor. He checked the clock, the  Braybrooke’s were due any minute and his mother had waited to the last second to be with either of them.

Sabo’s father stopped in his track and shot his mother an annoyed look

“Maybe if you got here sooner, I wouldn’t be. “he said taking a deep breath as she sat down, not even bothering to look at him. She glanced at Sabo and nodded.

“You look very gentlemanly Sabo, blue suits you.” she said running her hands over the fabric of her skirts. 

“ Th..thank you mother” he said. That was the biggest compliment he had ever received from her in a long and he was a bit shocked, his mouth hung open but only for a moment. The door opened slightly and an older servant opened the door and bowed.

“Lord and Lady Outlook, the  Braybrooke’s are here, shall we lead them in?” she asked

“ Yes right away” said Sabo’s father waving his hand. “Sabo don’t stutter. And don’t forget to great their daughter what is her name, Faith? Farah?”

“Felicity. Their youngest is Felicity” said Sabo’s mother not looking up from the book she had picked up. She closed it and sat it on her lap and he sat down next to he r husband  to try and pretend to be a loving couple. Sabo sat down to on a separate smaller Sofa, his hands moving over the velvety fabric as he tr i ed not to make it look like he was watching the door.

A moment later the door opened and a gentleman a little older then Sabo’s father walked in. 

“Edison, it is so good to finally have you here” said Sabo’s father standing up to shake his hand “And Margaret you look dashing” he said taking off his hat before taking  Margaret’s hand as she entered and kissing it gently. 

“Thank you, Amos,” said Edison as him and Margaret stepped inside the parlor revealing their daughter  F elicity. Sabo took his hat off and stepped over to great h er . He hated Nobles but he could act the part when he had to. 

“It is an honor to meet you Lady Felicity” he said taking her hand and kissing it. She looked a little younger then him. Sabo had met some of her older siblings and did not have much hope on her personality. 

“Thank you, Sabo Outlook you are just ever so sweet. “said Felicity with a kind smile. S abo never trusted the smile on a noble, they usually hid venom but hers seemed  _ almost _ genuine. S abo nodded and put his hat back on offering her his arm and leading her back to the sofa. She sat next to her, gathering the ruffles of her mint and white dress into her lap so they did not over take Sabo. 

“Would you like some refreshments?” asked Amos sitting back down. Edison and Margaret sat across from him and his wife, a table in between them.

“Yes of course, how about a brandy?” 

“That sounds wonderful.” replied Amos

“ Oh Margaret I have a delightful wine you must try.” said Sabo’s mother 

“I’d love that Evelyn.” she said with a smile. 

Servants came in and began pouring drinks and putting out light refreshments for the nobles.

“Young master Outlook, Lady  Braybrooke what would you like to drink?” asked the older servant woman.

“I’ll have a brandy thank you” said Sabo. He didn’t really care for it but it was the manly thing to do.

“I’d like some of the wine” said Felicity with a small smile.  Sabo looked at Felicity, she was younger than he expected, Sabo thought she may be younger th a n him. But it wasn’t uncommon for teenagers to have a glass of wine in a social setting. 

The parents were talking as drinks were served but Sabo quickly tuned them out, running the finger over the rim of the drinking glass, thinking about Ace.

“I am so bored” Felicity whispered in his ears. Sabo jerked up straight, having been snapped back to reality. Amos glanced at his son but kept talking as if he didn’t notice. Felicity used a handkerchief to hide a stiffened laugh. “I didn’t mean to startle you. Do you want to get out of here?” She whispered. Sabo’s face was slightly red and he nodded slowly, not sure what the catch was.

“Yeah” he said softly. Felicity sat up even more and smiled almost deviously.

“I heard your family has such _ lovely  _ gardens, do you think you could show them to me before it gets dark?” asked Felicity raising her voice to a normal level so that everyone in the room could hear.  Sabo was a little surprised and  would have smiled if she hadn’t taken him by surprise . It was a good idea, he would be expected to get to know her and show they would be an excellent match. 

“That sounds like a wonderful idea Sabo, why don’t you take her for a walk in the gardens” said Evelyn and Margaret nodded in agreement. Sabo sat down his glass and stood, offering Felicity his hand. She took and walked out of the room with him. Neither of them said anything until the door shut and they were partially down the  hallway . Felicity emptied the wine glass and laughed a little as they walked. 

“What... is so funny?” asked Sabo , trying to figure out the joke. 

“Oh, nothing I am just happy to be out of there, aren’t you?” she asked

“Yeah” admitted Sabo a little sheepishly as he let her to the gardens.

“It is too nice to be stuck in a stupid parlor especially wearing a million layers of crinoline. Sabo glanced at Felicities dress as it swayed around her as she walked. Not once had he ever considered what was under a women's dress.

“What is crinoline?” he asked they stepped outside. The air was warm, it was late summer on the cusp of fall. Nights were growing shorter but they still had a few hours of daylight.  Felicity laughed and shook her head 

“Stuff to make this dress big and  poofy . . ” she said gesturing downward . Her dress was not as large and grand as some others liked to wear, especially at a more formal occasion. She could still walk and sit next to Sabo comfortably.

“Oh” he said with a nod. “Did you really want to see the gardens?” he asked curiously

“I mean they are nice but... I mostly wanted out of there. I don’t really want to be around for the discussing of my marriage anyway, I don’t really get a say. ”

“I don’t want to marry you, no offense” said Sabo

“I don’t want to marry you either, none taken” said Felicity sitting her glass down in a plant “Should have filled that up again” she said with a shrug “Is there someone you have your eyes on?”

“Maybe I mean but that is not the problem”

“ Ooooo gay?” said Felicity and Sabo stopped in his tracks 

“Wait what?”  Sabo’s whole body went stiff and he glanced around quickly to see if anyone was around to hear . Felicity stopped and looked up at him 

“Not gay?” she asked in a softer ,  apologetic tone.  

“No, gay but... how did you know?” he asked. Sabo had been very secretive about this knowing how furious his father would be if word got out. Sabo’s preferences did not matter to anyone but himself. And maybe Ace.

“Well I don’t know I guess my secret lesbian senses told me” she said 

“You're a lesbian!” he said trying not to raise his voice making i t crack slightly. Felicity just winked and put a finger to her lips and kept walking. The hallway was silent except for the soft clicking of her heals. Sabo stood there staring at her for a minute before taking several big steps to catch up with her. She smiled at him and laughed, taking his arm again when he caught up. 

“I thought you were just going to stand there and leave me to find your gardens all by myself” the corner of Felicity’s mouth turned up slightly as she spoke. Sabo’s face was a little red and he felt butterflies in his stomach.

“You can’t just say stuff like that” said Sabo as they stepped outside. The air was warm and the sun was high in the sky. Butterflies and birds darted around over the perfectly manicured garden. 

“I made sure no one was around. I know better”

“Still” said Sabo, his chest heaving with a sigh. She was not what he had expected. 

“Your gardens are pretty” said Felicity as they turned around a hedge following a stone path towards a small lake. 

“Thanks” said Sabo rubbing his head a little.  “You are definitely... not what I expected” he said as he walked beside her. The fabrics of her dress ruffled softly and bounced against his leg rhythmically. 

“I am guessing you are familiar with my parents and older siblings?: she asked staring ahead as they walked. 

“I have met you parents a few times and a few of your siblings”

“There are nine of us. Well eight of  them , one of me. They were planned, I was an accident” she said. 

“I’m sure you weren’t an accident” Sabo tried to reassure her ; he didn’t  thin k anyone should feel that way.

“I was. They planned on eight, then had me. I ruined their plans.” The two of them arrived at the lake and she looked in watching the koi fish swim around.

“You didn’t ask to be born. My father wanted to have another but...that never happened” Sabo said, deciding against telling her that his parents hated each other too much to conceive again. She seemed easy to talk to, but he barely knew her. 

“I guess being the only child has a lot of pressure. You seem nice though. I wouldn’t mind being your beard if you want to have a boyfriend live with us.  “there was a heaviness in her voice as if something was concealed in the bubby exterior.

“Beard? Wait how can a person be a beard?” Sabo said, a bit louder th a n he intended. When not focusing on social etiquette Sabo could be  more than  a little awkward. Felicity couldn’t help but laugh, covering her mouth with her hand as she stifled a giggle. 

“Beard means someone who is with you so people think your safe. I mean if I have to marry a man, a nice gay man would be perfect. Do you already have a boyfriend or is that too risk y ?” she asked. Sabo’s mind immediately flushed to Ace making his eyes brighten and face blush slightly pink. 

“I mean there is someone I really care about, but... I don’t know if they feel that way.” he said tugging on one of his cufflinks. 

“Well if our parents approve this, and I am sure mine will you can ask them”

“Do you have a girlfriend?” asked Sabo “No offense but I don’t want to marry you.

 “I don’t want to marry you either but if it is not you, then someone else. “

“You seemed resigned to that fate” 

“Well as a young noble lady, my options are pretty limited and my skills are...not very practical. I mean I’ve probably read a book on ever y topic in the library but books don’t equate practical knowledge. “

“I like to read a lot too... hey I have a really weird question” Sabo stood up straighter “Have you ever ready a book about a magic mirror?”

“Magic Mirror?” she asked  turning to face Sabo. She was now giving him her full attention as she rocked  foreward onto her toes  “Like what kind of magic mirror? What might it do or just... any type of magic mirror.”

“ Ummmm ” Sabo was a little unsure, she might think he was crazy but if he was asking purely hypothetically then there was no need to question his sanity. “Something where it looks like the mirror is reflecting things but not people...there might be other people on the other side” Sabo tugged harder on his cufflinks.  Felicity  bounced on her toes, her eyes  going  wide with excitement .

“Oh, a dimensional mirror! I have read about them, they are SOOOO fascinating” her voice was raised slightly and she was talking faster than before.  Sabo wondered if this was a glimpse into how she really was when not playing the part of a young noble lady.  “There are supposedly a few of them in existence but there are so many rumors and bizarre stories that I cannot find any record of where any specifically are. But if they did exist, the locations might be a secret because they would be crazy valuable.” Sabo’s heart raced, at least he knew this might not be an incredibly specific and depressing hallucination.

“Do you think... theoretically of course, it is possible for someone to go from one side of the mirror to the other?” he asked, trying to disguise the hope in his voice and pose the question academically. 

“I don’t know, I would have to do some research. I can look for those books again for you if you’d like”

“I would love that!” he said grinning widely , feeling far more excited  then he ever expected to that evening. 

“What I remember the mirror always tries to mimic the other side so if you move the mirror, the other mirror eventually gets moved. If you leave something in front of it, eventually someone on the other side will put it there. At least usually.”

“That is so fascinating” Sabo said. That made so much sense now that Sabo thought back to the book and the window. Maybe he could get Ace more food and comfort until he could free him.

“Lord Outlook, Lady  Braybrooke ” a red-faced servant came running up the path and bowed. “Sorry to interrupt...  but dinner will be served ...momentarily”

“Thank you, Jessica. We will head into  wash up  right away.” Sabo said offering his arm  once again  to Felicity, she took it with a wide smile as they both headed back indoors. Sabo had new hope that he might be able to rescue Ace after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone, I hope you are enjoying the story so far. I am pretty happy with the progress overall. I had debated removing Felicity from the public version of the story and sticking with cannon characters only but to be honest I adore her and I am writing this for my fiancée and she likes her as well.
> 
>  Also dang that is a lot of dialog! I know the story has been a lot of narration so having such a dialog heavy chapter is a bit of change. This is also the longest chapter to date!
> 
> 08/23/19 Grammatical corrections and slight adjustments made to text.


	4. Hope

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sabo's dinner with the Braybrooke's give Sabo unexpected hope that he may be able to figure out how to work the mirror and free Ace before his parents try to marry him off.

Sabo’s parents, particularly his father had been thrilled that Felicity was hanging off Sabo’s arm and seemed to adore him. The  Braybrooke’s had stayed late into the evening drinking and talking. Sabo was a little concerned about how much wine Felicity had for someone of her age and size but she maintained her composure , although her cheeks were very red by the end of the night . Her parents eventually noticed that maybe they should remove their daughter before she had too much but at that point it was so late that it would be rude to stay much later any way. 

Sabo’s father being happy meant Sabo was free to do what he wanted, as long as his school work was turned in.  Meeting Felicity gave Sabo a sense of hope that he could rescue Ace. He didn’t know her well enough to tell her the truth but she was the closest he had to a friend besides Ace. Maybe if he was lucky enough, he could save them both.

Sabo also planned to test out the tidbit Felicity told him, if it worked, Ace would soon be getting more food, water, and supplies. 

“Father” said Ace at late breakfast the next day “Do you think the servants might give me a ride tomorrow afternoon? Felicity invented me over for tea and to see their library. She thinks she may have some books there that may interest me. “

Edison sat up and had a smile on his face, something Sabo was not use to and found it unnerving. 

“Of course. What time? I will make sure the nicest carriage is ready. “

“I would meet her at half past two, so I should be ready to leave by two.”

“Be ready early” said Edison and Sabo nodded. Normally his father's body was tensed with anger and hatred. Now he looked almost relax. It was strange to think marrying Sabo off might make him so happy. 

“Of course, father. I should go call her to accept the invitation.” Sabo said and Edison nodded gesturing for Sabo to be excused. Sabo nodded and stood up; his mother didn’t look up from her tea as Sabo tried not to run out of the room. The truth was he already accepted the invitation. It was socially acceptable for courting couples to spend time in supervised environments. Felicity's parents couldn’t accept the offer of marriage right away, it would be ‘inappropriate’. 

That meant Sabo had about six months before he had to worry about anyone trying to announce an engagement. Sabo stopped in the kitchen to get a tray of food. If the servants thought him taking so much extra food was strange, they never said anything to him about it. As long as his parents didn’t question it Sabo didn’t care.

 He darted upstairs as quickly as he dared with the food. A hearty plate of eggs, bacon, fruit, freshly made bread, jam, juice, water and some pastries Sabo snagged. He stopped by his room long enough to grab some extra pillows and a blanket he asked the servants to place in his room. 

Arms full to the brim he carefully crept up the attic steps and shut the door. He dropped the pillows and blanket and carefully sat the tray down. 

“Sabo!” Ace said excitedly. His dark eyes lit up at seeing Sabo, although they were drawn to the tray of food. It must be torment to be hungry and have a tray of food just out of reach. 

“Ace!” Sabo grinned sitting down. He felt a pang of guilt seeing Ace try not to eye the food, but if this worked, he wouldn’t have to worry anymore. 

“How was the dinner last night? Was she as bad as you thought?” asked Ace

“Actually no. She was nice and kind of funny. I think we could be friends. I am going over her house tomorrow to do research. She might have some information that could help.” said Sabo

“Really?” Ace was kneeling in front of the mirror but his body lifted up and he seemed to almost be pressing against the mirror. Sabo nodded reassuringly. His  excitement was contagious.

“Yeah. She said the mirror might be trying to mimic what is on the other side. That might be why when I opened the window the one over there got opened and why the box moved.

“That makes sense, a mirror is supposed to reflect but I guess it can’t change everything. “Ace sat back on his heels, his eyes glancing away as he thought. Sabo thought the people over there must under-estimate Ace. He was so smart and sweet. How could someone like that possibly be a monster.

“Well I wanted to test that. I brought food, pillows, and a blanket. Hopefully that means you will get some too!”

“That would be great!” Ace glanced at the pillows and food before looking back at Sabo with a grin. Sabo moved the tray, pillows, and blanket aside but made sure they were still in the mirrors frame. H e thought for a moment, his parents were probably still downstairs in the dining room so he took the chance to slide over the chaise he laid in the 1 st time he came up. Satisfied with his work, Sabo grabbed a book and sprawled out  on the floor  to read with Ace.

_____________________________________________________________

Time always seemed to move so fast with Ace. It was nice to have someone you could share stories with. Sometimes they read books, or talked. Sometimes Ace got tired and took a nap. Sabo would stay and watch him sleep for a little bit, sometimes napping himself. The floor was hard and made him stiff. Sabo doubted Ace had ever had a restful sleep the whole time he had been in that attic. 

Ace was starting to drift off and Sabo thought he might stretch and go use the bathroom. Sabo was disappointed no one had brought pillows or food for Ace. He got up slowly, Ace never stirred so Sabo decided to just run off really quick and would be back in ten- or fifteen-minutes top. Sabo crept over to the stairs, avoiding the board he knew crept. He didn’t want to wake Ace and he didn’t want to draw attention to himself. 

Sabo made his way down the stairs, checking to be sure no servants were near before shoving his hands in his pockets and making a beeline for his room.  Sabo took his time, trying not to despair. Maybe the mirror would work faster if it didn’t have to try to copy him. He splashed his face with some cool water, toweling off before stretching and heading back to the  attic . 

Sabo moved as quickly as he dared and Ace froze momentarily like a deer before ginning widely at Sabo.

“Look they brought all the stuff” he said excitedly. Ace was sitting cross legged on the blue chaise with the tray sitting on his lap. Sabo could see Ace had already eaten at least half of the food and the pillows and blankets sitting next to him. 

“That is great!” said Sabo excitedly. He sat down on the chaise , he ate one of the pastries, not feeling as guilty because Ace now had food. “Maybe it works better when I am not there. The mirror might be trying to copy too much?” mused Sabo who really had no idea so it seemed as good a theory as any. 

“That makes a lot of sense. I was wondering the same thing; they came right after you left” said  Ace wiping some juice off his face. 

“Right. Well we will try that. I will bring up food and leave for a little bit then come back and hopefully you’ll have food and then I will stay.” said Sabo and Ace nodded in agreement. 

“Who brought the stuff to you? Did they say anything?” asked Sabo curiously wondering about the differences. Clearly his family was not the ones living in Ace’s house.

“It was too other kids; they didn’t say anything. They looked scared of me but I am used to it. “Ace looked down at that but quickly shook his head as if trying to shake off whatever he was currently feeling. Sabo had been a lone a lot, never really clicking with any of the other noble kids but Ace had been openly rejected. He couldn’t imagine how that felt. “ They actually tripped over the chaise and knocked it close enough to grab so I pulled it over. It is really comfortable”

“Well they would like you if they knew you” assured Sabo. Just hang in there okay? He said trying to reassure Ace. Ace looked up and their eyes locked, Sabo’s heart skipped a beat. 

“That means a lot to me. I hope... that we can make friends together one day? “

“Soon.”

“I can’t wait”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey I'm back!!!
> 
> I Know it has been several months. It is hard to focus on creative endeavors when battling depression. Just know that every comment and Kudos reminded me that someone out there would like me to finish this story. I forced myself to get back into writing and managed to finish and edit chapter four in less then a week. Sorry it is a little shorter then the others (the shortest so far) but I like chapters to end at a place that makes sense and this made sense to me. 
> 
> I am already working on chapter five and hope to finish the story with this burst of energy.
> 
> If you are returning to this story you may notice I now have a number of chapters listed rather than ???. This is tentative and could change slightly but this is how the story is mapped out in my head so far. Thank you for reading and I hope to have you back soon!
> 
> 08/23/19 Grammatical corrections and slight updates to the text.


	5. Research

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sabo learns more about how the mirror works and dives into research hoping to find something to help him free Ace.

Chapter Five 

Research 

 

The next day Sabo got up early, he snuck down to the kitchens before breakfast and helped himself to a tray of food, returning yesterday's dirty dishes. The kitchen staff just nodded to him as he crept up to the attic. As he peered into the mirror, he saw Ace laying on top of the blanket his head laying on one pillow and his arms tightly gripping the other. The corner of Sabo’s mouth turned up; Ace looked like he was sound asleep. 

Sabo knelt down trying to sit the tray down quietly but it tapped the wooden floor and the dished clinked slightly. Ace stirred slightly and opened his eyes just a sliver. Sabo locked onto the sliver of black and Ace stretched, his slender body arching as he raised his head. Ace blinked a few more times and sat up a little as a wide grin formed on his lips 

“Hey Morning” said Ace, his voice a little raspy as voices often were the first thing in the morning. 

“Hey” said Sabo stifling a yawn. Ace sat up a little more his wild black hair sticking to the side of his face where he laid on it. “Sorry to wake you” he said stretching a little. 

“No, it’s okay. I am always happy to see you” Ace rubbed his eyes clearing them of sleep. 

“I just wanted to drop food off early. I was hoping if I did it before I am called to breakfast that by the time, I am dismissed you will have food” 

“That makes sense after what we talked about yesterday” said Ace 

“Go back to sleep, I'll be back in a bit.” said Ace reaching out and touching the mirror. Ace touched the mirror where Sabo’s fingers were, now only the glass separated them and Sabo swore he could feel the warmth. He took a deep breath and stuffed his hands into his pockets standing up straight. 

“See you soon” said Ace 

“See you soon” 

_____________________________________________________________ 

 

After he ate with his parents which was unfortunately required on any day his father was home, Ace sprinted back up to the attic. He was better learning the patterns of the servants and staff in the household so he knew which way to go to avoid anyone spotting him. The less anyone saw him the less likely it was that his father would find out. 

Sabo’s eyes lit up when he saw Ace happily working on a tray of food. He still looked a little tired but grinned widely upon seeing Sabo. 

“Hey Ace look” he said “I got breakfast” 

“I see that.” said Sabo flopping on the pillow “Is it good?” he asked 

“Really good. Better than any of the other food I’ve had since living here.” 

“That’s great. Did those two scared boys bring it to you again?” 

“No, a guy named Marco. He didn’t seem scared; he was actually really nice and talked to me for a little bit. He said he’ll come back later with some ointment for my wrist. He is about the same age as I am” 

“That is great. Maybe you can have another friend over there to keep you company until I can see you” Sabo was happy that someone in that awful house was showing Ace an ounce of kindness. Maybe that would make his torment a little lighter. 

“That sounds nice” said Ace thoughtfully before cramming a scone into his mouth. The minutes ticked by quickly before Sabo brought Ace up lunch and went to change. Thankfully he didn’t have to eat with his parents, Sabo’s father was out on business and Ace would stop by and eat quickly before leaving to go to Felicity’s house. 

“Hopefully Felicity will have lots of good information so I can see you in person” said Sabo “I’ll be back tonight.” 

“Be safe” said Ace putting a hand on the mirror. Sabo placed his hand where Ace’s was, causing his heart to skip a beat and his face to feel warm as it flushed pink. 

“Soon” 

“Soon” 

Sabo headed down to the front of the house, double checking his appearance in an obnoxiously large mirror near the coat room. If anything was off about his appearance, somehow his father would know. 

Waiting out front was there family’s nicest carriage. It was red and gold with their family emblem painted on the side. There wasn’t a speck of dirt on it or on the four horses pulling it. A footman opened the door for Sabo and he nodded politely, there was flowers waiting on the plush leather seat for him to present to Felicity. 

Sabo sat down and a moment later the carriage began to move as the horses trotted down the road. He absent-mindedly looked out the window as they traveled. He found it to be a lot more comfortable without his father's criticism. Sabo knew his father must be wanting to make a good impression on the Brayebrookes, this carriage was normally only used for formal occasions. Every time Sabo had been in it, he was heating to some awful boring party. 

This time Sabo was day dreaming about where he might take Ace when he was finally free. Maybe they could travel together. Or maybe Ace would want to spend lots of time at home with his family. As long as they were away from the Outlook home Sabo didn’t care. 

His daydream was cut abruptly short when the carriage stopped. Sabo sat up straight, the ride had been short with him imagination running wild. He took a deep breath as the door opened and he stepped out of the carriage, holding the flowers in one arm as he walked. 

He had only been to the Braybrooke estate in the evening for parties. In the day light it looked even more grand. He could see all of the fine details of the architecture. The hand carved railing, ornated statues, pristine marble steps. He wondered if they appreciated the beauty of all the small details or if they simply ordered whatever was most expensive. 

A servant was waiting to open the door to let Sabo in. He bowed low 

“Young Lord Outlook, let me escort you to Lady Braybrooke, she is awaiting you in the parlor” he said. 

“Yes thank you” said Sabo with a nod following the servant. He walked standing tall and ridged, having to put on his persona of a proper young nobleman. It was a well-rehearsed act although exhausting. He hoped him and Felicity would be alone most of the time so he could let his guard down a little. 

Felicity was sitting on a chaise holding a book that Sabo was not entirely sure she was reading based on her vacant expression. 

“Young Lady Felicity, Lord Sabo is here for tea. “said the Servant, bowing 

“Oh thank you” she said standing up and Sabo took her hand, kissing it gently 

“Sabo I am so glad you could make it. Those flowers look lovely!” She exclaimed. “Andre can you have them placed in water and put on my dressing table?” she said handing them to the servant. 

“At once my lady” he said bowing again before backing out of the room. Felicity took Sabo’s arm, looping it with hers. “I am having tea served on the terrace attached to the library, can I escort you Lord Sabo” she asked batting her eye lashes and smoothing out her yellow dress with her other hand. 

“I would be honored” said Sabo allowing Felicity to escort him through the unfamiliar halls. 

Felicity’s heels clicked on the floor; Sabo wasn’t sure how she seemed to walk so delicately he felt like his shoes were thundering on the floor. His eyes glanced around there was beautiful tapestries and paintings sporadically throughout the walls. She led him through two grand wooden doors into the grandest library he had ever seen. His steps were immediately dampened as they hit an ornate rug which he barely noticed as his eyes scanned the room in awe. 

The room was large and rounded with two levels of books in curved rows. The shelves all hand beautiful carving on them with ornate lanterns with book safe lights placed intermittently. The ceiling was painted with panels depicting a story of conquest and triumph. Sabo would guess based on the fact that he spotted the Braybrooke family crest several times it was about the family. 

His eyes made their way back down. There was a globe and several tables under a chandelier. Sitting at one of the tables with a few books was a poshly dressed boy and girl who looking a little older than Felicity. Felicity tugged on Sabo’s arm gently as she walked foreword, her body had gone ridged and her step quickened as she seemed determined not to make eye contact with the two teens sitting nearby. 

“Oh Felicity” called the boy in a sing-song voice that was like nails on a chalkboard to Sabo’s ears “Aren’t you going to introduce us?” he asked and Felicity stopped, her body ridged as she turned slightly. 

“Prescott, Lorelei this is Sabo Outlook. Sabo, these are two of my siblings Prescott and Lorelei. They are twins, and I believe a little closer to your age” Felicity was gripping Sabo’s arm a little tighter than she had been and Sabo held out his free hand to Prescott who grabbed Sabo’s hand and jerked it foreword making Sabo stumble a little. He hadn’t been prepared for that and wasn’t able to let go of Felicity fast enough to stop Prescott from pushing up the sleeve of Sabo’s shirt. 

“They are uglier than I heard” Said Prescott with a harsh laugh as Sabo jerked his arm away and Lorelei peered around her brother and looked at Felicity, her nose almost turned up to the air. 

“If mommy and daddy tried to marry me to someone with scars like that, I’d hang myself. But he’s definitely suitable for you” she said with a shrill laugh. 

“Thank you for your input Lorelei” said Felicity as she started walking again. The twins laughed and Felicity led Sabo to another set of doors at the back. They had heavy blue curtains blocking out any night. Sabo pulled open the door 

“Thank you, Sabo,” she said stepping out onto the terrace. There was a table with two chairs that was set up for tea with a stack of six books on it. The terrace over looked a small pond. As soon as the patio door shut Felicity turned to face Sabo. 

“I am SO sorry. The two of them are so rude. They probably are gone already; they only came in to make a rude comment.” 

“It’s okay, I’m used to it. It’s a tragedy this happened to my family’s first and only son after all” he said pulling out her chair. Felicity flopped into it and looked up at Sabo, her eyes were glossy and heavy with tears. 

“That is so stupid. “she exclaimed “Like that is all your worth” she said taking a deep breath trying to compose herself. 

“I know. Don’t worry about it” Felicity nodded and wrung her yellow dress in her hands as she nodded 

“I don’t think your scars are hideous. I like them” She said as a servant came up the stairs behind Sabo to place a teapot and some light refreshments on the table. Sabo gave them a polite nod, tugging on his sleeve a little. He had no doubt Felicity meant it. She seemed genuine. But his scars were still a big source of insecurity for him and he went through great lengths to hide them as much as possible. 

“Thank you” said Felicity and the servant bowed leaving them alone again. 

“It’s a nice view” 

“It is. I sit out here and read all the time, usually no one bothers me” she said taking a sip of her tea and putting a few small things on her plate. Sabo added some things to his plate, picking up one of the books. 

“You found a lot really quickly” said Sabo as he examined the title ‘Strange and Occult Artifacts from around the World’. 

“I spend a lot of time reading so I usually remember where all the books are. It helped they were all in the same area. I didn’t get a chance to go through them all so they may not all be helpful. But I already eliminated another dozen books” 

“Thanks, you are really great. “said Sabo opening the cover carefully. “I really do appreciate all the help” he said flipping through the index looking for mention of a mirror 

“I don’t mind. It’s honestly the most exciting thing I have done in well ever. “she said with a laugh sitting the second book in her lap. 

“Are you normally interested in this kind of stuff?” she asked flipping through the pages. Sabo glanced up. His instinct was to trust her and explain the situation but if any word got back to his parents, he would be so screwed. They would probably move the mirror and he might never see Ace again. 

“Well ummm not USUALLY” he said taking a sip of tea Felicity nodded 

“I love it. I always thought that magic and things like that were so fascinating. I spent way too much time day-dreaming about it” 

“I can understand that. It is easy to get lost in a good story” 

“I know. But they write about some of these things like they are real. And there is first-hand accounts of some of them. I guess it is just hard to grasp that there might actually be things like the mirror in the world. 

“Until a few weeks ago, I would have completely agreed.” Said Sabo. He watched Felicity raise her eyebrow. 

“Are you saying what I think you’re saying?” She asked dropping her voice and leaning forward, gripping the book in her lap, she was now completely focused on Sabo. Sabo’s eyes scanned the yard to make sure no one was near. He didn’t see or hear another person. 

“I think... I have one of these mirrors in my attic” he said after a long pause. She squeaked a little and let out a small gasp. 

“How do you know? Can you tell me about it? I am so sorry. I don’t want to be pushy. If you want to keep it a secret I understand. “ 

“A secret yes.” said Sabo “But my gut says I can trust you. And I need help” Felicity sat back; her mouth was open slightly as if she was surprised by the sentiment, but then it formed a wide smiled as she almost bounced in her seat. 

“Your secret is safe with me. “ 

“Thank you. That means a lot to me. But... for the mirror, it is pretty obvious it is not normal. “ 

“Can you tell me about it” Felicity scooted to the edge of her seat, leaning over the table, abandoning her cookie on her perfectly hand painted plate. 

“I found it by accident. I went up into the attic to get away from my family and heard some shuffling. I pulled the cover off the mirror and there was a boy on the other side.” 

“Was it you?” she asked, her voice quiet, eyes wide 

“No” Sabo shook his head pausing to take a small bite out of delicate little sandwich. “It’s a boy named Ace; he is my age. He has messy black hair and freckles. It is weird all the stuff I can see in the attic is the same as my stuff but my family doesn’t live there. It is some horribly home for kids that are dangerous or ate devil fruits or have powers. They chain him up in the attic like a rabid animal” 

Sabo’s voice rose as he spoke making Felicity sit back in her chair. He his fists clenched tightly, just the thought of the injustice against Ace made him furious, he could feel his anger rising to the surface but he forced himself to take a breath and calm himself down. No one there was responsible 

“I am so sorry. That is awful, how could they do that?” 

“I don’t know but I have to figure out how to help him and get him out.” 

“Oh absolutely!” said Felicity “We can’t just leave him there. I will do whatever I can to help.” she took a bite out of her cookie and went to the book in her lap. 

Sabo and Felicity spent the afternoon flipping through the books, taking notes and discussing anything they found about the mirror. The book Felicity found were pretty in depth but it was a lot of speculation. Apparently first-hand accounts of the mirrors were hard to find. 

“Oh wow” Felicity said sinking back in her chair. Sabo looked up, stretching his back a little. 

“Oh? Is oh good or bad? I” Sabo could feel his inside twisting into knots as he was filled with fear and excitement. 

“Well according to this book, a man named Sir Reginald Rutherford wrote about a mirror like this in his journal but it wasn’t discovered until after his death and he gave the mirror away in secret before he died so no one knows what happened to it. “ 

“Okay well... what did he say” this time it was Sabo’s turn to be on the edge of his seat as he practically held his breath. 

“I had been experimenting with the mirror now for a few days and have had the delight to find myself on the other side. With some discussion I will be Reggie A and he will be Reggie B, for the purpose of our notes. We wish to be consistent in the records of our experimentation.” 

“That had to be weird to come face to face with yourself” 

“Yeah I bet. I only need one of me. One is plenty!” Sabo laughed and rubbed the back of his head. 

“Yeah I know that feeling” he said “What else does Reggie A have to say? “ 

“Let’s see... there is a lot here... it isn’t the full manuscript, but maybe the excepts will be enough. If not, we can track down the full text” Sabo moved his chair over a little bit, screwing social etiquette so he could see the page alongside of Felicity. Felicity adjusted the book so Sabo could get a better view. 

“After much experimentation myself, Reggie A and Reggie B were successful and passing living matter through the mirror. We were able to switch each of our rabbits Cotton A and Cotton B. Non-living matter will almost always replicate on the other side of the mirror but not living matter. However, if you have two identical living beings, one on each side of the mirror, each will be allowed to pass through and go to the other side. Both beings must touch the mirror and pass through. If one being pulls back and disrupts the pass the other will be pushed back and the pass will be terminated. “ 

Sabo’s heart rose and fell. It was possible to pass through the mirror but only if an identical person was on the other side. He would have to find this world’s Ace and beg him to go through the mirror to a world where he would be treated like crap or figure out another way. 

“Oh, Sabo I am so sorry. I will track down the manuscript, maybe there is another way” said Felicity. Sabo nodded and ran a gloved hair over his blonde hair. This was the most information he had in a long time. He had to keep calm and keep looking. He did not come this far to give up. 

“You are right. Ace is counting on me. And this is more information than I ever had. Do you mind if I borrow some of these books?” Asked Sabo and Felicity shook her head 

“No of course not. Help yourself. I’ll go to the rare book shop tomorrow and see if they have the manuscript or anything else helpful.” 

“I am happy to help” She said stacking the books and notes up neatly for Sabo. He had been there for hours and he realized he probably should not over stay his welcome. 

“If there is anything, I can ever do to return the favor, let me know.” 

“Well if you find any single ladies looking for ladies, send them my way, okay?” 

“Deal.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone thank you for stopping by! Look a 2nd chapter in the same month! 
> 
> I have been trying to at least write a little bit once or twice a week and it has been successful! Plus this is the longest chapter so far (in case you were disappointed by the last chapter being so short). If the story keeps up at the pace I intent it to, then we are now over half way through this story (omg) 
> 
> I do try to limit the amount of o/c in the story but I thought this was a good opportunity to show how the noble community feels about Sabo's scars. If I wasn't writing this for my fiancee I probably would have replaced Felicity with a OP character (maybe Robin or Koala). I know not everyone likes oc's in fan stories so do you like Felicity in this story or would you have preferred a OP character?
> 
> What do you think of this recent development? Is there any other OP characters you hope might be mentioned or make a cameo in the future? I love hearing peoples theories even if they are way off from what I have planned it makes me happy to know other people like my story enough to put that much thought into it.


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